Jefferson County, Arkansas

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Welcome to the Jefferson County, Arkansas!

Jefferson County, Arkansas is located in the southeastern part of the state and was established on November 2, 1829, as one of the original counties of the state. The county was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States.

During the early history of the county, agriculture was the primary industry, with cotton and timber being the main crops. The county also had a significant presence of enslaved African Americans who worked on the cotton plantations.

In the Civil War, Jefferson County was a Confederate stronghold and the site of several battles and skirmishes. After the war, the county struggled to rebuild and many residents turned to sharecropping as a means of survival.

In the early 20th century, the discovery of oil in the county led to an economic boom and the development of towns such as Pine Bluff, which became a major center for industry and commerce.

Throughout the 20th century, the county experienced significant population growth and economic development, and today it is home to a diverse population and a variety of industries including agriculture, manufacturing, and service sectors.

Jefferson County also has a rich cultural heritage, with notable residents and landmarks such as the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame and the Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas.

Overall, the history of Jefferson County, Arkansas, is marked by economic and social change, shaped by the forces of agriculture, industry, and war, and by the contributions of its diverse population.

Maps and Boundaries

Jefferson County, Arkansas is located in the south-eastern part of the state. It is bordered by the following counties:

Communities

Cities

Altheimer	Humphrey	Pine Bluff
Redfield	White Hall

Towns

Sherrill

Wabbaseka

Census-designated place

Baldwin	Cornerstone	Dexter	Double Wells
Doylestown	English	Eastwood	Fairfield
Faith	Ferda	Gethsemane	Hannaberry
Haywood	Kearney	Ladd	Lake Farm
Langford	Madding	Rob Roy	Samples
Sorrells	Sulphur Springs	Swan Lake	Tamo
Wilkins

Other Unincorporated Communities

Hardin	Jefferson	Lake Dick	Midway
Moscow	New Gasony	Noble Lake	Pastoria
Reydell	Sweden	Tucker	Wright

Historical Towns

Adamsburgh	Anrep	Astor	Bankhead
Bellville	Brook's	Brookside	Bruce
Byrd's Spring	Camp Creek	Carson	Clements
College Park	Cooper's Landing	Corkscrew	Darysaw
Diantha	Dolton	Dugan's Landing	Edwards
Egypt	Elerson	Fair Bluff	Fair Dale
Fiveforks	Flat Bayou	Garretson	Garrisons Landing
Grace	Greely	Greenback	Greer
Hockers	Hoodsville	Kratnek	Lamb
Lamberts	Linn	Locust Cottage	Loomis
Luzon	Macon	McGrew	McKenzies
Melton	Mentor	Monday	Moten
Mulbery Grove	Natick	Nubia	Oak Park Station
Oakville	Peach Grove	Pearl	Piney Grove
Racine	Rainey	Ray Station	Reed
Reeves Landing	Reform	Ruth	Ruthledge
Saint Marys	Seacrest	Skinners	Sleeth
Smart	Straw Hat	Tamo Rural Station	Toronto
Tyrone	Vaugine	Victoria	Walden
Waldstein	Watts	Williamette Bend	Windom
White Bluff	White Sulphur Springs	Wightman's Mill

Townships:

Barraque	Bogy	Bolivar	Dudley Lake
Dunnington	Jefferson	Melton	Niven
Old River	Pastoria	Plum Bayou	Richland
Roberts	Spring	Talladega	Vaugine
Victoria	Villemont	Washington	Whiteville

Military History

Civil War

Battles and Skirmishes

Jefferson County, Arkansas, saw several battles and skirmishes during the Civil War, as it was a strategically important area due to its location along the Arkansas River. Here's an overview of the events you mentioned:

Battle of Pine Bluff - October 25, 1863: Confederate forces, led by General John S. Marmaduke, attempted to dislodge Union forces in an attack on Pine Bluff. Pine Bluff was held by Union troops, and this engagement was part of a larger effort by Confederate forces to control the region. Ultimately, the Confederate attack was repelled, and the Union forces retained control of Pine Bluff.
Skirmish at Pine Bluff (Monticello Road) - June 17, 1864: This skirmish occurred in the vicinity of Pine Bluff. It's sometimes referred to as the Skirmish at Monticello Road. Skirmishes like this were common during the Civil War, often involving small-scale engagements between scouting parties or minor clashes between opposing forces.
Skirmish at Pine Bluff - July 22, 1864: Another skirmish in the Pine Bluff area, illustrating the ongoing military activity in this region.
Skirmish at Pine Bluff - July 30, 1864: Yet another skirmish in Pine Bluff, indicating the persistent presence of both Confederate and Union forces in the area.
Skirmish at Richland - December 24, 1864: This skirmish took place in the vicinity of Richland, which is also located in Jefferson County. The details of this specific engagement may not be as well-documented as major battles, but it likely involved minor combat or clashes between opposing forces.
Skirmish at Pine Bluff (Pine Bluff Expedition) - January 9, 1865: This skirmish is sometimes referred to as the Pine Bluff Expedition. It may have been a part of a larger military operation in the region, and it once again highlights the strategic significance of Pine Bluff.
Skirmish at Bayou Meto - February 17, 1865: Bayou Meto is located in the vicinity of Pine Bluff, and this skirmish likely involved some level of military engagement or reconnaissance in that area.
Skirmish at Mrs. Voche's - February 25, 1865: The details of this skirmish are not provided, but it likely involved a minor confrontation or reconnaissance activity near Mrs. Voche's location.
Skirmish Affair near Pine Bluff - March 4, 1865: This is another skirmish that occurred in the Pine Bluff area, underscoring the continued military activity in Jefferson County in the later stages of the Civil War.

Regiments

During the Civil War, several Confederate units were organized with men from Jefferson County, Arkansas, and some of the units underwent reorganization or consolidation during the course of the war. Here is information about the Confederate units associated with Jefferson County:

Jefferson Guard: The Jefferson Guard was organized under the command of Captain Charles Carlton. This unit later became part of Josey's 15th Arkansas Infantry. Captain Charles Carlton's company served as part of the 15th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, which was involved in various battles and campaigns in the Trans-Mississippi Department.
Southern Guard: The Southern Guard was organized under the command of Captain Joseph W. Bocage. This unit later became part of the 2nd Arkansas Infantry. The 2nd Arkansas Infantry participated in various engagements throughout the Civil War.
9th Arkansas Infantry Regiment: The 9th Arkansas Infantry Regiment was created on July 20, 1861. While it wasn't specifically organized with men from Jefferson County, some individuals from the county may have joined this regiment. The 9th Arkansas Infantry was involved in several battles and campaigns in the Western Theater of the Civil War.
18th Arkansas Infantry (Carroll's) Regiment: The 18th Arkansas Infantry, also known as Carroll's Regiment, was raised in various counties in Arkansas, including Jefferson County. This regiment saw action in several battles in the Western Theater of the Civil War.
15th Arkansas Infantry (Marmaduke's) Regiment: The 15th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, sometimes referred to as Marmaduke's Regiment, was part of General Marmaduke's command and likely included individuals from Jefferson County. This regiment participated in numerous engagements in the Trans-Mississippi Department.

At least two Union regiments were formed from Jefferson County.

1st Arkansas Colored Light Artillery Battery was organized at Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
2nd U.S. Colored Light Artillery was formed from the 1st Arkansas Colored Light Artillery unit.

Camps

During the American Civil War, several camps were established in Jefferson County, Arkansas, to train Confederate forces. Two of these camps were Camp Lee and Camp White Sulphur Springs:

Camp Lee: Camp Lee was one of the Confederate training camps in Jefferson County, Arkansas. It was named after General Robert E. Lee, the famous Confederate military leader. The primary purpose of Camp Lee, like many other Confederate training camps, was to provide training and organization for Confederate soldiers. These camps played a crucial role in preparing troops for service in various campaigns and battles throughout the war. Specific details about Camp Lee's activities and history may be limited, as it was one of several training facilities in the area.
Camp White Sulphur Springs: Camp White Sulphur Springs was another Confederate training camp located in Jefferson County. This camp was likely named after the nearby White Sulphur Springs, which were a source of mineral springs and, in some cases, believed to have health benefits. Like Camp Lee, Camp White Sulphur Springs served as a place for the training and organization of Confederate forces from the region. Soldiers would receive training in military tactics, drill, and other essential skills necessary for their service in the Confederate Army.

Both Camp Lee and Camp White Sulphur Springs played a vital role in preparing Confederate troops for their service during the Civil War. These training camps were important components of the Confederate war effort, ensuring that soldiers were well-prepared for the challenges they would face on the battlefield. While the details of daily life and activities in these camps may not be as well-documented as major battles, their historical significance in training Confederate troops is clear.

Markers and Monuments

The historical markers and monuments in Jefferson County, Arkansas, provide important information about the area's involvement in the American Civil War. Here are details about the specific markers you mentioned:

1. Battle of Pine Marker (October 25, 1863):

Erected in 1976 by Jefferson County History Commission.
This marker commemorates the Battle of Pine, which took place on October 25, 1863. As previously mentioned, this battle involved Confederate forces under the command of General John S. Marmaduke attempting to dislodge Union forces in an attack on Pine Bluff. The marker likely provides historical context and information about the battle's significance in the local area.

2. Boone-Murphy House Marker:

Erected in 2012 by several organizations, including the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, Pine Bluff Advertising and Tourist Promotion Commission, Pine Bluff Historic District Commission, Heckatoo Heritage Foundation, Jefferson County Civil War Sesquicentennial Collaborative, and Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council.
The Boone-Murphy House marker likely commemorates the historical significance of the Boone-Murphy House, which was a prominent structure in the area during the Civil War. The marker may provide information about the house's history and its connection to the Civil War or the individuals who lived there during that time.

These markers and monuments serve as valuable historical references and educational tools, allowing visitors and residents to learn more about the Civil War history and significant events in Jefferson County, Arkansas. They help preserve the memory of the past and provide insight into the local history during the Civil War era.

Historical Landmarks

Antioch Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery

Antioch Missionary Church Cemetery - located at 500 North McKinney Road in Sherrill, Arkansas, behind the church. It contains remains of emancipated slaves, originally enslaved on the Good Hope Plantation in South Carolina, who moved later to Jefferson County, Arkansas around 1860. One of the earliest known graves is that of Reverenced Lewis Mazique, a leader in the community who's burial was documented in 1885.

Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company Building

Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company Building - located at 116 West 6th Avenue in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, less than one block from Main Stret in what was once a thriving downtwon commercial district. Built in 1950, the building falls with the construction boom experienced in the area following World War II. The single story, retangular Art Moderne building sits atop a continuous concrete foundation and features glass block panels, carra glass tiles, and horizontal coping that runs across the front of the building. The building has been well maintained with minor modifications to the original design. Its unique design and long standing association with the Arkansas Louisiana Gas Light Company make it an important historic building of the era.

Jewel Bain House on Cherry Street

Jewel Bain House on Cherry Street - Located on the corner of South Cherry and 36th Streets in Pine Bluff, Arknasas. The house was built in 1937 and was the second home designed for Jewel Bain in the city. It is two stories tall with a square floor plan. The house rests on a cast-concrete foundation, features buff-brick walls with carrara glass accents, and has a hipped roof covered with asphalt shingles. The Bain House is an excellent and rare residential example of the Art Moderne style, which reached the height of its popularity in the 1920s and 1930s.
Jewel Bain House on Longmeadow Street - The fourth home of Jewel Bain built in the city is a historic house at 27 Longmeadow in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is a U-shaped single-story brick house, with sections covered by separately hipped foofs that have extended eaves with exposed rafter tails. The roof is covered with distinctive tiles imported from Japan. The house was build in 1965 and designed by architect Jewel Bain. She was one of the few female architects working in Arkansas during this period.

Bellingrath House

Bellingrath House - located at 7520 Dollarway Road in White Hall, Arkansas. It is a two-and-one-half story masonry structure, built out of brick, and half-timbered stucco in the Tudor Revival style. The house was built for Ferd Bellingrath, owner of a local Coca-Cola bottling company in 1935. It was designed by architect Mitchell Seligam and is one of the community's most architecturally sophisticated houses.

Boone-Murphy House

Boone-Murphy House - located at 702 West Second Avenue in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It served as the second headquarters of the Union Army during its occupation of the town from 1863 to 1865. The house, built sometime prior to 1861, was originally a single pile and central hall. The plan is rectangular. The structure has been altered over the years with shed additions to the east and west sides. Also two small porches with turned posts were encased. The barge boards and roof cresting was added in 1880s.

Thomas A. Boone acquired the land and built the original house. He was a local merchant, originally born in South Carolina before coming to Arkansas. Boone lost the home after the Civil War and it was acquired by John P. Murphy at public auction.

Murphy, a native of Ireland was born in 1843 and came to the Pine Bluff area in 1859. He joined the Jefferson Guards as a private and served in the Confederate Army throught the war. After the war he entered business in Pine Bluff and acquired the home.

Caldwell Hall

Caldwell Hall - Constructed for an Arkansas Negro College in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The house was designed by the Thompson, Sanders and Ginocchio firm in 1928. It is a two-story brick building with a flat roof that is quite long. Its facade being organized into a slightly projecting central section, markedby a heightened parapet, and two projecting end bays. It reflects an unusual eclectic blend of Art Deco and Classical elements. Today, it is one of the buildings located on the campus of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

Carnahan House

Carnahan House - located at 1200 South Laurel Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is an excellent example of teh eclectic style of architecture popular across the United States in the first quarter of the 20th century. Constructed in 1919 by architect Mitchel Selligman with the help of his partner G. Edelvard, the house is an excellent example of a large scale, English Revival and Craftsman style home.

The home was built for Robert Carnahan and his large family. Robert was born in Knox County, Kentucky around 1872. He moved to Pine Bluff in 1915. He most likely had significant financial resources when he moved from Kentucky as he was still president of the Straight Creek Coal Company in Kentucky at his death in 1928. He was also the president of the Standard Lumber Company of Pine Bluff, Vice President of the National Bank of Arkansas and President of the Lovett-Carnahan Company of Grady. It was later sold to the Henry Ford Trotter family in 1937.

Central Texas Gravel Locomotive No. 210

Central Texas Gravel Locomotive No. 210 - The Central Texas Gravel Locomotive No. 210 is a disesel-powered General Electri 25-ton switch locomotive built by General Electric in April of 1953. The locomotive was in use at several facilities in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas, before arriving at the Arkansas Railroad Museum in 2005. This locomotive worked at Central Texas Gravel, in the gravel business going to Gifford-Hill Company, first in Shreveport, Louisiana, and then at Eagle Mills, Arkansas. It significance is its engineering as an excellent late-model example ofa General Electric 25-ton model, that were an important switch engine design used not only throughout the United States, but in several foreign countries as well.

Community Theatre

Community Theatre - is an Art Modrne style-theater located at 207 West 2nd Street in downtown Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The two-story brick building has two stucco-covered walls, a shed roof and partial basement. The original building was built in 1889 and renovated into a theatre in 1922. the current facade and marques are the reslt of extensive alterations in 1951 -1953 after a fire.

The building was built by contractor William *. Hilliard and was originally used as a furniture store before it became S. H. Kress and Company, a 5, 10, and 25-cent store. It would remain the Kress and Company store until 1922.

In 1922, the architect Mitchell Seligman renovated the building turning it into a theater, which opened on May 19, 1922. It later became the Berbig-Community Theatre and later the name changed to Community Theatre. At the time of its reopening it featured movies like "The Daughter of Devil Dan", "The Dentist", and the "The Fighter of Diamond X". From 1922 to 1963 it was owned and operated by the Bonner family. The theater was known for showing westerns and serials, and the family brought in cowboy star Tex Ritter to help draw crowds.

In the early 1950s it was damaged by fire when, due to the use of nitrate film, the projection room caught fire and it spread into the auditorium. It was renovated after the fire in 1951 with additions such as a cryroom and cinemascope screen and sidewall neon lighing. Also the bathrooms were moved to the front of the building. Renovations were completed in 1953 and the theater operated another ten years until it finally closed in October of 1863. The last movie shown at the Community Theatre was "Phantom of the Opera."

DODX Guard Car No. G-56

DODX Guard Car No. G-56 - DODX Guard Car No. G056 is a 1942 guard car that American Car and Foundry constructed as a hospital kitchen car for troop train service. After World War II it was converted by the Department of Defense (DOD) into a guard car. It was operated by the DOD until it was acquired by the Arkansas Railroad Museum in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is a rare example of a World War II-era train car and guard car. Its significants is its engineering as the only known example of a guard car in Arkansas. Guard cars were an important type of railroad car that was used by the Department of Defense (DOD) or military to house guards that accompanied valuable or sensitive railroad shipments. These types of cars would have been used throughout the country, including Arkansas.

Dollarway Road

Dollarway Road - is a historic road in Jefferson County, Arkansas, that was built in 1914. It wasn't until the start of the 20th century, the nation began to focus on good roads. Arkansas didn't establish a state highway sytsem until 1923. Before then good roads were the responsibility of local road districts. Mostly area farmers and residences without any leadership or engineering experience. It is significant example of one district construction of a concrete road from Pine Bluff to Little Rock, before the start of the Arkansas highway system.

Du Bocage House

Du Bocate House - The house was built by Judge Joseph W. Bocage in 1866 and constructed from lumber cut and milled on his land. The two-story wood-framed house is architecturally significant as a well preserved example of late Greek Revival style. It is one of the last house built at the end of this period which was popular from the early 1830s to the early 1860s.

The owner Judge Joseph W. Bocage was born on the island of St. Lucia, in the West Indies, on May 8, 1819. He was the son of William Bocage, a sugar planter. Joseph ws named after his grandfather, Joseph Isadore Bocage, a Frenchman, who had been the French Consul, at New York, shortly after the American Revolution. Joseph came to Arkansas a a young man. He later became State's Attorney for the Second Judicial District. Apart from that he was a planter and Civil War veteran. He served as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Confederacy. Prior to the war he was a slave owner and lost much of his wealth after the war. However, he recovered and began to build sawmills and remained a successful businessman.

The Elms - the Elms house is a raised cottage with three levels. The main structure is rectangular with a rectangular addition running the entire lenght of the back. The house is believed to be the oldest structure in the vicinity of Altheimar, Arkansas. It is an example of a Louisiana raised cottage of the American style. Developed by the Colonial French. Constructed in 1866 by Dr. Samuel Jordon Jones and his wife Virginia Adeline Jones. Originally from Alabama, the Joneses moved to Altheimer shortly before the Civil War and entered the farming business.
George Howard Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse - is a federal government building at 100 East 8th Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is a square, three-story stell framed building with curtain glass exterior. It was built in 1967 and is a prominent local example of the Modern architecture. It was named in honor of George Howard Jr. in 2008, a local native. George was an American World War II veteran, attorney, and United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas and the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. He was the first African-American United States District Judge in Arkansas.

Ferguson House

Ferguson House - is a historic house at 902 East 4th Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is a two-story wood-frame structure, with a hip roof and clapboard siding. It is an example of a Queen Anne style home built in 1896 by Calvin Ferguson, a local builder. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Fox House

Fox House - The Fox House at 1303 South Olive in Pine Bluff, Arkansas was built in 1910 by architect Theo Sanders. The two-story house which is faced with brick. It is an example of Craftsman influences featuring a variety of textures and materials in the use of tile, stucco, brick, and pseudo half-timbering.

Gibson-Burnham House

Gibson-Burnham House - is a two-and-a-half-story Colonial Revival style structure with an irregular plan and roofline. The house features a full-width, single-story front porch supported by six non-fluted columns with Ionic capitals, three classic palladian windows in the gable ends, a dentil course underneath the cornice, and a three-sided, two-story bay projection.

Constructed in 1904 by John Wilson Gibson, a cotton buyer and plantation owner. Gibson owned a 3,000 acre planation at Horsehoe Lake near Sherrill, Arkansas. He lived in the house in Pine Bluff, but continued to oversee his plantation. He would live during the week at the Horseshoe Lake Plantation and the weekends in Pine Bluff. Travelling by train back and forth.

Hotel Pines

Hotel Pines - The Hotel Pines is a historic commercial building at the northwest corner of West 5th and Main Streets in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is a six story U-shaped structure with a two-story pile infilling the open "U". It was built in 1912, in an effort to bring more business to the section of Main Street. It was successful to that end and was one of the largest and finest hotels in they city.

Geroge R. Mann an architect from St. Louis, Missouri designed the building. The Monk and Ritchie firm of Pine Bluff was contracted to build the hotel and Paul M. Heerwagen of Fayettville, Arkansas was hired to decorate the interior.

The hotel officially opened on November 6, 1913 and operated continusouly unti 1970, at which time it was closed.

Howson House

Howson House - is a historic house located at 1700 South Olive Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is a two-story house characterized by fine details and an attractive rustic, picturewque quality. It was designed by the Thompson and Harding firm in 1918 and is a combination of Craftsman and Tudor Revival styling. The design of the house is notable in its free and exuberant handling of textures and materials.

Hudson House

Wikipedia:Hudson_House_(Pine_Bluff,_Arkansas) - is a historic house located at 304 West 15th Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The house designed by Charles Thompson in 1911 is charaterized by simple, broad massing and Craftsman details. The two-story structure with front gable roof is faced with brown brick and features a full length front porch with shallow hipped roof supported by brick piers. Built in 1913, it is a good example of Craftsman style.

Hudson-Grace-Borreson House

Hudson-Grace-Borreson House - This home on Barraque Street in Pine Bluff evolved through a succession of owners from a simple, but sturdy one-story, two room cabin to the elaborately decorated two-story house of today. The original portion was built in 1830 by William and Jane Woodruff. It was expanded and remodeled in 1860 by Marion and Emily Hudson. The significance of the house lies in tis delightful mixture of Greek Revival, Victorian and New Orleans French qualities.

The house was purchased in a tax auction by Colonel W. P. Grace in 1868. Grace was born in Caldwell County, Kentucky. He traveled extensively, before settling in Arkansas where he was an attorney in the city sometime before the Civil War.

Johnson House

Johnson House - located at 315 Martin Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is a two-story wood-frame structure designed in 1912 by architect Charles L. Thompson. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Katzenstein House

Katzenstein House - This two-story house, faced with brick, is located on a corner lot in a residential area of Pine Bluff. The simple rectangular structure features a clipped front gable tile roof. Breaking the boxy outlines is the one-story front gable roof projection enclosing the front porch. Both the gable ends feature stucco with half-timbering effects and large brackets.

Designed by Charles L. Thompson in 1913, it is an example of a Craftsman house that was an integral part of the streetscape on fifth Avenue. It's massing is similar to that of a Foursquare house yet its projecting entry porch and clipped gable roof present a unique street facade.

R. M. Knox House

R. M. Knox House - The house which Colonel Richard Morris Knox built in 1885 is one of the most impressive Victorian residences in Arkansas. The two-story frame structure is one of the State's best surviving examples of the Eastlake style. Dominant structural features of this two story frame house are the three story tower, a gabled bay at the northwest corner, and the two story porch along the east end of the facade.

The original owner Richard Morris Knox was born in Tennessee About 1848 the family moved to Panola County, Mississippi. When Civil War broke out he and his four brothers joined the Confederate army. He fought in several engagements. Even after the war he remained active in his work for confederat veterans. He was instrumental and in the founding of Arkansas Confederate Home for disabled veterans and their dependents.

After the war he lived in Memphis, Tennessee until 1871, he moved to Pine Bluff, Arkansas where be bought a store. He built the business using customer credit and stocking a wide variety of merchandise to attract a large number of customers. Later he was founder of Citizen's Bank of Pine Bluff.

Lake Dick, Arkansas

Lake Dick, Arkansas - The Lake Dick is an unincoroprated community in Jefferson County, Arkansas. It was formed in 1836 as part of the Resettlement Admistration, A New Deal program which supported farming projects. The administration built the community's building and relocated 80 farming families to the area. Unlike most of the other Resettlement Administration farming communities that divided the farms among the residents, Lake Dick was a cooperative.

R. E. Lee House

R. E. Lee House - Built in 1893, the R. E. Lee House is located just one block north of the railroad tracks taht were so important to the commercial, industrial and physical development of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. An outstanding example of the Queen Ann style it is an important representative of the physical development of Pine Bluff and remains a architectural feature of the cityscape.

The house was built for retailer R. E. Lee on land owned by his wife's grandmother Virginia Jones in 1883 at the beginning of the era of Pine Bluff's greatest industrial, commercial and economic development. The house was occupied by members of the Lee family until the death of his son Collier Lee in 1972. The house is now owned by George Howard Jr., the first African-American appointed to the Supreme Court of Arkansas.

Lone Star Baptist Church

Lone Star Baptist Church - also known as the Redfield Historical Socity Building, is a historic building at 620 Sheridan Road in Redfield, Arkansas. The congregation formed in 1890, and the church was built in 1901. It was used as a school until material became available to build a school. It operated as a church until 1976 when it was ded to the City of Redfield in 1993.

MacMillan-Dilley House

MacMillan-Dilley House - is an historic house and outstanding example of the "Prairie House" style of architecture originated by Frank Lloyd Wright. The home was build by a lumber company for managers of the mill. Designed by Hugh M. G. Garden, a member of the firm of Schmidt, Garden and Martin. J.W. Dutton was contracted to build the house and it was completed in 1906. J. H. MacMillian was promoted to Manager of the Cargill Security Company and the first to move into the house. The company sold the house to V. D. Wilkins in 1910, and later it was bought by Fred L. Dilley in 1919. Fred was a locl foundry owner. The house has been maintained in excellent condition throughout its life.

Masonic Temple

Masonic Temple - on the corner of Fourth and State Streets was built in stages 1902, 1903 and 1904 by the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Arkansas. It was the lallest buiding of its time in the city. It was also the first African-American masonic organization in Arkansas. Gibbs and Sanders, Little Rock architects, were employed to design the building and on July 7, 1902, W. S. Helton, a Pine Bluff builder, was given a contract to construct the four-story brick and stone structure.

McDonald's Store #433 Sign

McDonald's Sign - also known as McDonald's Store #433 Sign in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is one of only a few surviving examples of a single-arch McDonald's sign. Erected in 1962, it remained at its original location until 2007. That year the store moved and the sign was renovated and moved to the new story location. The sign was manufactured by Sign Crafters of Evansville, Indiana and designed by Ray Kroc.

Merchants and Planters Bank Building

Merchants and Planters Bank Building - located on 100 Main Street it was one of the first commercial banks in Pine Bluff. Built in 1872, the building is a large brick structure featuring round turrets, arched windows, granite foundation and decorative brick work. In addition to its architectural significance, the Merchants and Planters Bank building represents a large part of the downtown Pine Bluff's commerical develpment.

Thomas A Harding, a Little Rock architect designed the building and W. I. Hilliard of Pine Bluff was contracted to built it. The plumbing nad fixtures were installed by F. A. Stanley and John P. Haight furnished the millwork.

The exterior of the building has not been altered. The interior has been remodeled into offices for insurance and real estate business.

Mills House

Mills House - is a historic house at 715 West Barraque Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is a one-and-a-half story wood-frame house, three bays wide, with a front gable roof, weatherboard siding, and a brick foundation. Built in 1902, it is an example of vernacular architecture with Folk Victorian details.

National Guard Armory

National Guard Armory-Pine Bluff- located at 623 West and 2nd Avenuse in Pine Bluff, Arknasas. It is a two-story masonry structure, built out of concrete and buff rock with Art Deco styling, included a castellated parapet. Built in 1931, it was the first state-owned militia building in Jefferson County. It served as a state armory until 1974, for the 39th Tank Company, and is now used as a vocational classrooms.

Nichol House

Nichol House - located just south of the historic downtown at 205 Park Place, is a two-story, wood-frame, stucco and brick veneer residence designed in a relatively restrained yet elegant interpretation of the Craftsman style. Designed in 1916 by Charles L. Thompson, one of Arkansas's best-known architects.

The owner Josiah Nichol was born in Pine Bluff around 1874. He worked in a varity of mercantile businesses before beginning a career in banking. He worked at the Merchants National and Planters Bank in Pine Bluff. Prospering there, he becamethe president of the bank in 1930.

W. E. O'Bryant Bell Tower

W. E. O'Bryant Bell Tower - located at 1200 North University Drive in the center of the quadrangle on the campus of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, the collegiate bell tower is essentially a buttressed square structure resting on a base of fived poured concrete stairs. Constrution started on the tower in 1943 and it was completed in 1947. It serves as one of the main focal points on the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff campus.

The Branch Normal College, now known as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff was created in 1873 and opened in 1875. During the period of the tower construction the college doubled the amount of facilities and buildings on th campus. The tower was built by A. A. Mazique under the adminstration of Lawrence A. Davis Sr. who was president of the college. The three-story, red brick, tower is significant as an excellent example of a collegiate bell tower and the only example of such structure in the city of Pine Bluff.

Parkview Apartments in Pine Bluff

Parkview Apartmnts - Constructed in 1925, it is a two-story buff brick and concrete structure with a two-and-one-half-story projecting entrance bay of Classical Revival, Collegiate, Gothic Art, an Art Deco style seldom found in Arkansas. At the time it was the largest apartment building in the State of Arkansas. O.C. Hauber, a local resident and entrepreneur built the building.
Pine Bluff Arsenal Access Road Bridge No. 2280 - located alone the current alignment of State Highway 256 or E. Hoadley Road is a two-lane reinforced concrete deck girder bridge constructed undr the National Defense Highway Act of 1941. It was completed in 1942, the bridge is approximately 152 feet long.

Pine Bluff Civic Center

Pine Bluff Civic Center - Built in 1963-1968 and designed by the Arkansas-born architect Edward Durell Stone. It serves as the administrative hub of the city. Sitting atop a brick podium that houses underground garage space, the complex includes the library, ar and sciences building, city hall, and courts and policie/fire station buildings, all of which are built of buff brick with flat roofs.

Pine Bluff Commercial Historic District

Pine Bluff Commercial Historic District - located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, it is bordered on the North and East by the Arkansas River. It represents a period from 1850 to 1958 for Pine Bluff commericial district. Most of the building were erected between 1850 and 1880 and it serves as the anchor from which the city of Pine Bluff grew.

Fifth Avenue Historic District

Fifth Avenue Historic District - located in the midst of Pine Bluff's historic fabric, the Fifth Avenue Historic District offers evidence of the impact of the city's emergence as a commercial and industrial center. The majority of the buildings in the district were constructed during the period of greatest historic significance with 11 houses built before 1900 and eight built during the 1900-1915 period.

Plum Bayou Homesteads

Plum Bayou Homesteads - are a collection of Depression-ear houses that were part of a planned community. Established by the federal Resettlement Administration, part of the New Deal. The houses are located in a unincorporated community of Wright, north of Pine Bluff and had a 180 farmsteads, each with a house.

Prigmore House

Prigmore House - Located on the southwest corner of West Fifth Avenue and Cherry Streets in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It was built in 1873 by George W. Prigmore, stronly suggests a Midwest interpretation of the I-house not usually found in Arkansas. Prigmore built his house with a one and one-half room deep floor plan. The use of the gable roof over the plan and paired central brick chimneys reflets the influcence of the Midwest rural architecture.

George W. Prigmore was stationed in Arkansas during the last years of the Civil War, he returned to the state after the war and settled in Pine Bluff. In 1868 he was admitted to the bar association and became involved in local politics. He rerpresented the 20th district in the Arkansas Assembly from 1870 to 1872, county clerk from 1872-1880, and after a brief absence from politics, he rean for County Judge and served in 1884-1886.

Puddephatt House

Puddephatt House - This two-story house simple boxy massing crowned by shallow hipped roof with overhanging eaves charateristic of the popular American Foursquare house. It was designed by Charles L. Thompson in 1911 and is an important component in the Thompson firm's transition from the traditional house plan t othe more modern residence plan represented by the Craftsmans and Prairie designs.

Redfield School Historic District

Redfield School Historic District - located at the intersection of West School and Brodie Streets at the northern edge of Redfield, Arkansas. The centerpiece of the campus is the main school building, which was built by the Works Administration Project (WPA) in 1939. The site has been the site of the school in Redfield since at least the middle of 1910s when the building designed by Clyde Ferrell was built on the site. A gymansium was built in 1950.

Roselawn Historic Plantation

Roselawn Historic Plantation - is a historic plantation house, located in rural Jefferson County, Arkansas near Altheimer. It is a single-story rectangular wood-frame house with projections to the fron and rear. An ornately decorated bay projects from the east side topped by a gable with bargeboard decoration, and a porch extends along the south facade. It was built between 1870 to 1888 and is one of the oldest surviving plantation houses in the county.

Roth-Rosenzweigh House

Roth-Rosenzweig House - is a historic house at 717 West 2nd Avenue in Pine Bluff, Arknasas. It is a Queen Anne Victorian style two-story frame house erected in 1894. It was once home to William Rosenzweig who owned one of the city's largest department stores.

Saenger Theatre

Saenger Theatre - Located on the southeast corner of West Second Avenue and Pine Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is a four-story building with a taller fly tower at the rear. Designed by Emile Weil and completed in 1924, the theater features a front facade styled in a Classical/Colonial Revival motif and a highly ornate interior that has been described as of the Florentine style. It was used until 1975 and is currently unoccupied except for special occasions.

The theater had been the focal point of entertainment in Pine Bluff since 1912 when O.C. Hauber converted an old store building on the site into a movie theater, which he dubbed the "Hauber Theater." It was later sold to Bohlinger Amusement Company of New Orleans who in turn sold it to Saenger Amusement Company also of New Orleans. Saenger Amusement's was a subsidiary of Paramount, also owned the Best and Orpheo Theaters in Pine Bluff.

St. Louis San Francisco (Frisco) Railway Coach No. 661 - is a late-19th century passenger coach that was built by the Barney and Smith Manufacturing Company in Dayton, Ohio, in March 1883. It was rebuilt to its current roofline and had steel siding installed in 1936. It was operated by the Frisco Railway and the Kansas City Public Service Freight operation until 1964. Cocah #661 was acquired by the Paperton Junction Southern Railway in Pine Bluff in 1996 and restoured in the late 1990s. The coach is now housed at the Paperton Junction Southern Railway's shops. The coach is a rare example of a 19th-century passenger coach, especially one illustrating the influence of Jim Crow laws.
St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt Route) Caboose No. 2325 - is an early 20th-century wooden local caboose that was built by the Cotton Belt in July 1920 in their Pine Bluff shops. It was operated by the Cotton Belt on their Paragould and Southeastern Railway subsidiary between Paragould and Blytheville. Caboose #2325 was acquired by the Paperton Junction Souther Railway in Pine Bluff in 1980 and restored in 1981-82. The caboose is now housed at the Paperton Junction Souther Railway's shop. Caboose #2325 is one of only a couple of caboose from the 2300 series that survives today and a rare example of a Cotton Belt local caboose.

St. Louis Southwestern Railway Relief Train

St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt Route) Relief Train - consists of six pieces of railroad rolling stock that were used by the Cotton Belt to assist in cleaning up train derailments or in maintenance of way work. The relief train consists of a Crane, Boom Car, Generator Flat, Kitchen Car, and Crew Sleeper. All the cars were built between 1940 and 1950.

The St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt Route) Relief Train currently resides at the Arkansas Railroad Museum in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Its significants is for its engineering as the most complete example of a railroad train in Arkansas. The relief train was an important part of the railroad service throughout the Cotton Belt system in Arkansas.

St. Louis Southwestern 336

St. Louis Southwestern 336 - is a historic railroad steam locomotive, located at the Arkansas Railroad Museum in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The Steam Locomotive #336 is a Class D3-2-6-0 Mogul type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in March 1909. It was operated by the Cotton Belt until 1947 when it was sold to the Meriweather Gravel Company in Lewisville, Arkansas. It was operated there until it was donated to Lafayette, County and put on display in Lewisville in 1963. In 1994 it was donated to the Arkansas Railroad Museum.

Its significants is for its engineering as the last remaining of the ten Class D3 2-6-0 Mogul type steam locomotives built by Baldwin Locomotive Works. The locomotive was a workhorse in railroad service in Arkansas for approximately 50 years, including 38 years on the Cotton Belt, until it retired.

St. Louis Southwestern 819

St. Louis Southwestern 819 - is a "L1" 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive and also the official state locomotive of Arkansas. It was built in 1943 by St. Louis Southwestern Railway, the last engine built by them and the last known locomotive built in Arkansas. It operated on the Cotton Belt Route also simply known as the "Cotton Belt". It was restored in 1986 and used as an excursion service until October 1993. As of 2022, the locomotive as been at the Arkansas Railroad Museum in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

St. Peter's Cemetery

St. Peter's Cemetery - Located on Morgan Road at the former town of New Gacony in Jefferson County, Arkansas. It is a two acre cemetery the foundation of a small 1855 parish church lies within the 1919 iron fence of the cemetery.

New Gascony grew to include the first mill in the county, a store owned by Barraque and a river port. Reverend Patrick A. McGowan had St. Peter's church built in 1855. St. Peter's Cemetery is the only burial ground representing New Gascony with interments beginning in 1827 and ending in 1927. Its significants is the local link to the past for descendants of those buried within its grounds and an exmaple of an early multi-ethnic community. New Gascony's English, Irish, French, Spanish, and Italian roots are demostrated in the names found on St. Peter's tombstones.

Sherrill United Methodist Church

Sherrill United Methodist Church - Constructed during 1909 and 1910, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, of Sherrill, Arkansas, is an example of church construction by the Methodist in Arkansas. The single-story wood-frame building is an example of the Gothic Rivial and Craftsman influences.

Methodism moved to the small Sherrill area in the late 1840's. The first settlers in the area had to survive the icy winters, humid, and mosquito-infested summers. They were attacted to the dark, rich alluvial soil that was ideal for cotton. Its significants is the best example of a Gothic Revival building in the town of Sherrill.

Walter B. Sorrells Cottage

Walter B. Sorrells Cottage - Designed and constructed in 1920 as the first permanent building for the Boys Industrial School, the Walter B. Sorrelss Cottage is the only remaining structure dating from this institutions initial phase of development. It is a combination of elements from the Craftsman and English Revival styles. The building was designed by Mitchell Seligman, a successful Pine Bluff architect.

The Boys Industrial School was established as an alternative to the state penitentiary for teenaged boys convicted of crimes. Captain Geisreiter of Pine Bluff donated 160 acres of land for the site where the school was built. The cottage was named for Walter Sorrells, editor of the Pine Bluff newspaper "The Commercial".

By 1935, the school consisted of a total of 360 acres. It is now called the Pine Bluff Youth Services Center and the facility is for the care and treatment of delinquent youth, ages 13-18.

Strengthen the Arm of Liberty Monument

Strengthen the Arm of Liberty Monument - is a replica of the Statue of Liberty in Pine Bluff Memorial Gardens. It was placed by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) as part of its 1950s era campaign, "Strengthen the Arm of Liberty."

Taylor Field

Taylor Field - is an example of a Works Progress Adminstration (WPA) constructed baseball stadium from the New Deal era. It also is a story of those unemployed in central Arkansas during the Depression era who were able to find work with this program. The facility was designed by Mitchell Seligman, a prominent Pine Bluff architect. It was constructed in 1939-40 as part of a effort to improve recreational facilities in Arkansas. The construction was overseen by the Division of Engineering and Construction Projects. The field is still a significant part of the baseball culture and city history of Pine Bluff.

Temple House

Temple House - located at 1702 South Oak Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It was designedby Theo Sanders in 1910. The flowing horizontal emphasis combined with a symmetrical simplicity lends a strong Prairie style. The house style associates with early Chicago houses of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Trinity Episcopal Church

Trinity Episcopal Church - also known as St. John's Parish, it is a historic church at 703 West 3rd Avenue in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The church is representative of the Gothic Revival style. It was built in 1866-70. It is also unique in Arkansas for having a burial chamber under its chancel.

Trulock-Cook House

Trulock-Cook House - was built as a single-familly residence in 1903. This one-and-a-half story frame structure is irregular in plan and massing, and is characteristic of the Shingle style and Colonial Revival.

In addition to its architectural merit, the house is significant in its association with two promient Pine Bluff families. The Trulock family who were involved with farming, banking, hotel operation and civic affairs in the city since their settlement in 1844. The Cook family have long been well-known merchants in the city.

Trulock-Gould-Mullis House

Trulock-Gould-Mullis House - is a one-and-one half-story frame structure with touches of Classicism in its architectural style. The house was built in 1876 by Marshall Sutton Trulock. He was born at the family plantation near Atkins Lake in 1848.

Trulock sold the house to James Gould in on September 30, 1905. Gould was born in Bradley County on April 13, 1854. He came to Pine Bluff in the 1870's to work in a mercantile establishment.

This home is par of the block Pearson was restoring at the time of his dath and is a significant part of Pine Bluff's heritage. Architecturally it is a "one of a kind" of landmark in the city.

Tucker School

Tucker School - is a one-story, wood-frame school built in 1915 for the Community of Tucker, Arkansas. The building rests on a foundation of brick piers, and is sheathed in weatherboard. The roof, which is a combination of a gable and hipped roof, is covered with asphalt shingles.

The Tucker School is the last remaining school building in Tucker and is an example of early 20th-century school building. The Tucker community was named after John Woodfin Tucker, who came to Jefferson County in 1867 or 1868 and settled on the Plum Bayou.

The Tucker School served white students in the community until the Rosenwald School was built in 1925. The Tucker School had four classrooms, only two teachers and a principal to serve the school.

Union Station

Union Station - is a single story brick structure with hipped roof. On the south, facing the railroad is a shed porch running the length of the building. E. H. Steininger, a railroad contractor of St. Louis, was contracted to build the station in 1905. Construction was completed in 1906.

U.S. Army Snow Plow No. SN-87

United States Army Snow Plow No. SN-87 - is a mid-20th century wedge snow plow that was built by the O. F. Jordan Company in December 1953. It weights 74,000 pounds and was operated by the U.S. Army until 1990 when it was acquired by the Arkansas Railroad Museum in Pine Bluff. This snow plow is an example of the Jordan's Company wedge plow design that was used extensively throughout the United States for snow removal on railroad lines.

Wabash Alloys Locomotive

Wabash Alloys Locomotive - is a GE 25-ton diesel-electric locomotive built in 1940-43. It was used in the 1970s at Wabash Alloys, a producer of aluminum alloys in Haskell, Arkansas.

The 25-ton model was the smallest locomotive in the GE range built in the 1940s and 1950s. It was designed for small industrial user and could pull half a dozen loaded cars on level ground.

Wabbeseka Methodist Episcopal Church, South

Wabbaseka Methodist Episcopal Church, South - is a single-story with basement, brick masonry church building designed in the 20th centry representative of Classical Revival style. Its significant is the best example of 20th century Classical Revival architecture in the area of Wabbaseka, Arkansas.

John Brown Watson Memorial Library Building

John Brown Watson Memorial Library Building - located on the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff campus in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is a two-story Art Deco style cream brick and concrete structure designed by McAnich and Anderson. It was built in 1939 by Rock City Contruction Company. Originally known as the Library Building, it was named asfte John Brown Watson in 1958. Its significant is the first free standing library to be built on the Arkansas Mechanical and Normal College (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) campus and its association with education in Pine Bluff.

West James Street Overpass

West James Street Overpass - located on West James Street at the point where it crosses the Missouri-Pacific Railroad line about two blocks east of Highway 365. It is a wooden trestle bridge, that consist of a total of six spans, the longest of which measures 22 feet with a total lenght of 131 feet. The deck as a width of 20 feet and an overral width of 26.5 feet. Constructed in 1924, it is singificant for its association iwth the Arkansas Highway and Transportation era historic context and its timber trestle type of bridge.

Yauch-Ragar House

Yauch-Rager House - is a historic house at 625 State Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is a single-story brick structure, with a hip roof. Built in 1907, the house is a rare example of brick construction from that period. It was built by William Yauch, who was the brother of a local owned brickworks.

National Protected Areas

Notables

Blanch (Markham) Ackers was born on November 28, 1914 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She was an African-American folk artist. She is known for her drawings such as "Homstead" and "Yellow Interior", that reflect her memories of growing up in Arkansas. Her work has been acquired by the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
Susie Elvie (Bailey) Thurman was born on August 26, 1903 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She was an American author, lecturer, historian and civil rights activist. She was the first non-white student to earn a bachelor's degree in music from Oberlin College, Ohio.
John David Barfield was born on October 15, 1964 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was a Major League Baseball pitcher and played three seasons (1889 to 1991) for the Texas Rangers.
Martha Elizabeth (Beall) Mitchell was born on September 2, 1918 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She gained worldwide recognition for her outspokenness during the Watergate scandal. Her husband, John Mitchell, who was attorney general said, "If it hadn't been for Martha Mitchell, there'd have been no Watergate."
Lee Conley Bradley was born on June 26, 1903 in Lake Dick, Arkansas. Also known "Big Bill Roonzy", he was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He copywrited more than 300 songs, including adapations of traditional folk songs.
William Arthur Carr was born on October 24, 1901 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was the first Arkansan to win two gold medals in the same Olympic games. He set a new track reord in the 1932 Los Angeles, California, Olympics. At age of twenty-one, he san an Olympic record of 46.2 seconds in the 400-meter spring, which stood until 1948 when it was tied. In 1954, he was named to the Sports Illustrated's All-Time Olympic Team.
Moses Tran Clegg Sr was born on September 1, 1876 in Red Bluff, Arkansas. He is an American bacteriologist and served in the 1st Arkansas Volunteer Infantry during the Spanish-American War and the Phillipine Insurrection. He is best known as the first scientist to segregate and propgate the leprosy bacillus.
Leroy Eldridge Cleaver was born on August 31, 1935 in Wabbaseka, Arkansas. He was a political activist and leader of the Black Panther Party. As a writer, he is remembered for his collection of essays titled "Soul on Ice."
Addison Shields Collins Jr was born on April 17, 1927 in Pine Bluff Arkansas. He was an American French horn player. He was a member of the Glenn Miller's Army Air Force band, and Claud Thornhill's orchestra. He later played with Charlie Parker, Gerry Mulligan.
Joseph Carter Corbin was born in Chillicothe, Ohio. He later settled in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. A journalist and educator in the United States. He was a conductor of the Underground Railroad in Ohio and Kentucky. After the Civil War he founded the predecessor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Jay Woodson Dickey Jr was born on December 4, 1939 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was a U.S. Representative for Arkansas's 4th congressional district from 1993 to 2001. He was also a attorney for the City of Pine Bluff and appointed special justice for a case befre the Arkansas Suspreme Court.
Dorothy Janette Marguerite Davis was born on November 2, 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee. She later moved to Pine Bluff, Arkansas with her parents where she grew up. She was a 20th-century American pop singer, noted particuarly for her work for Arthur Godfrey.
Larry C. Davis Jr was born on December 4, 1936 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was an American electric Texas blues and soul blues muscian. He is best known for co-writing the song "Texas Flood". He also had several single releases on the Virgo and Kent labels. He won four W. C. Handy Awards in 1982.
Jefferson Richardson Donaldson was born on December 15, 1932 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was a visual artist whose work helped define the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. He was a co-foundr of AfriCOBRA and contributor to the momentous Wall of Respect. An ealry pioneer in African-American personal and academic achievements. His art work is known for creating alternative black iconography connected to Africa.
Charles Edward Greene was born on March 21, 1945 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was an American track and field sprinter and winner of the gold medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the 1968 Summer Olympics. Following his athletic career, he became United States Army Officer, serving as the sprint coach at West Point and head coach of the All-Army team. He retired with the rank of Major and became director for Special Olympics International.
George Edmund Haynes was born on May 11, 1880 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was an American sociology scholar and federal civil servant. He co-founded and was first executive director of the National Urban League, serving from 1911 to 1918. He was also co-founder and patron of "Opportunity: A Journal of Negro Life", and academic journal support by the NUL. He was founding editor of "Charles S. Johnson", the journal and also published African-American literature and arts.
Willie Kavanaugh Hocker was born on July 21, 1862 in Madison County, Kentucky. She later moved to Arkansas with her family in 1870 and lived in Wabbaseka, Arkansas. She was an American schoolteacher and designer of the Arkansas state flag.
George William Howard Jr was born on May 13, 1924 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was an American World War II veteran, attorney, and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas and the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. He was the first African-American United States District Judge in Arkansas.
Donald Roy Hutson was born on January 31, 1913 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was an American professional football player and assistant coach in the National Football League (NFL). He played as a end for eleven years with the Green BAy Pakers. Hudson led the Packers to four NFL Championship Games, winning three: 1936, 1939, and 1944. He led the league in receiving yars ins seven separate seasons and in receiving touchdowns in ine. He also led the NFL in interceptions in 1940. He was an eight-time All-Pro, a four-time All-Start, and was twice awardd the Joe F. Carr Trophy as the NFL Most Valuable Player.
Joseph Jarman was born on September 14, 1937 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was an American jazz musician, composer, poet, and Shinshu Buddhist priest.
Charles Johnson was born on August 7, 1909 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was a baseball player in the Negro league.
Euine Fay Jones Jr was born on January 31, 1921 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was an internationally known architect who won the American Institue of Architects' highest honor, the AIA Gold Medal, in 1990. He was also, a World War II Navy veteran.
James Yancey Jones was born on September 30, 1940 in Altheimer, Arkansas. Professionally known as "Tail Dragger Jones, he is an American Chicago blues singer. His songs included "Crawlin' Kingsnake" (1996), "American People" (1998), and "Live at Rooster's Lounge" (2009).
Mary Kathryn (Linaker) Phillips was born on July 19, 1913 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She was an American actress and screenwriter who appeared in many B movies during the 1930s and 1940s, most notably "Kitty Foyle" (1940) starring Ginger Rogers. She is credited with coining the name "The Blob" for the moview, which was originall titled "The Molten Meteor."
Christopher Columbus Mercer was born on March 27, 1924 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was an African-American attorney and one of the "six pioneers' who integrated the University of Arkansas Law School. As an attorney, he served as an NACCP field representative to advise Daisy Bates, who spearheaded the efforts of the Little Rock nine who integrated Little Rock Central High School.
Freeman Harrison Owens was born on July 20, 1890 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He is an early American filmmaker and aerial photographer. He filmed early newsreels, such as the Chicago Union Stock Yards Fire in December 1910 and the Charleston, South Carolina hurricane and flood in 1911. He served in World War I as a photographer, helping progress the art of aerial photography for combat purposes.
John Selden Roane was born on January 8, 1817 in Wilson County, Tennessee. He later settled in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas. He was a lawyer, planter, soldier, and governor of Arkansas. He is best known for his service in the Mexican War and his efforts to deal iwth the state's financial crisis following the failure of its banking system. He was elected Govenor of the State of Arkansas in a special election on March 14, 1849.
Winona (Sammon) Roberts was born on January 10, 1907 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Her stage name was Peggy Shannon, and she was an American actress. She appeared on the stage and scren in the 1920s and 1930s. She began her career as a "Ziegfeld girl" in 1923 before moving on to Broadway. She signed with Paramount Pictures and played the newest "It gird" in the 1931 film, "The Secret Call."
William Thomas Seawell was born on January 17, 1938 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force and former head of Pam Am. A World War II veteran he led a bomber squadron and earned many U.S. and foreign decorations, including the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and teh Croix de Guerre with Palm. He was named miliatary assistant to the seccretary of the Air Force in 1958.
Francis Cecil Sumner wa born on December 7, 1895 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was an American leader in education reform and commonly referred to as the "Father of Black Psychology." He was the first African-American to receive a Ph. D in psychology in 1920.
James Lamar Stone was born on December 27, 1922 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was a United States Army officer, Korean War veteran, and recipient of America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor.
Leslie Lavell Spann Jr was born on May 23, 1932 in Pine bluff, Arkansas. He was an American jazz guitarist and flautist. He recorded as a sideman for many artist and once in the album Gemini in 1961.
Hardin Kimbrough Toney was born on March 2, 1876 in Oxford, Mississippi. He later settled in Jefferson County, Arkansas. He was politican and represented the county in the Arkansas Senate from 1905 to 1913, and the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1931 to 1949. He was also elected President of the Senate of the 38th Arkansas General Assembly, and as Speaker of the House of the 49th Arkansas General Assembly.
Jay Mayo Williams was born on September 25, 1894 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was a pioneering African-American producer of recorded blues music. He was the most successful "race records" producer of his time, breaking all previous records for sales in this genre. He was a member of the National Football Hall of Fame Association and in 2004 he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

Records and Resources

Sources

Hearthstone Legacy Publications, (n.d.). "Jefferson County, Arkansas History and Genealogy." Accessed 18 Oct 2023.
Genealogy Trails History Group, (n.d.). "Genealogy and History, Post Offices, Past and Present." Accessed 18 Oct 2023.
Bureau of the Census. “Jefferson County section of Arkansas Minor Civil Divisions map.” in the United States Census of Population 1930.42, Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, 1934.
The Historical Marker Database (HMdb), (n.d.). "Historical Markers and War Memorials in Jefferson County, Arkansas." Accessed 18 Oct 2023.
Staff of CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas, Encyclopedia of Arkansas, last updated on 27 Sep 2023. "Civil War Markers and Memorials." Accessed 18 Oct 2023.
Bearden, Russell E., White Hall, Arkansas, Encyclopedia of Arkansas, Revised 2022, Sesser, David, Southern Louisiana University, last updated on 14 Jul 2023. "Jefferson County, Arkansas." Accessed 18 Oct 2023.
Wikipedia contributors, "1st Arkansas Colored Light Artillery Battery," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1st_Arkansas_Colored_Light_Artillery_Battery&oldid=1114860705 (accessed November 11, 2023).

Unveiling the Rich Tapestry: Explore the Hidden Stories of Jefferson County, Arkansas! Nov 11, 2023.
Jefferson County, Arkansas History and Notables that are a must see! Jan 28, 2023.

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Arkansas Territorial Map

Map of Arkansas highlighting Jefferson County